WMD/SSF Blender – Creative & Technical Demos [matttech]

In this demo I wanted to demonstrate some interesting use of the WMD/SSF Blender mixer & VC-Crossfader module. I have used it to mix together 4 different oscillators, using the output of the mixer to sync some of them in a bizarre feedback loop. Screaming oddness was achieved fairly easily!

Patch Details:

1. Blender mixer A was fed by: a Rubicon Pulse (with PWM), and a Cyclebox Pulse

3. An Intellijel Dixie was used as an LFO, to slowly crossfade between the two mixers on the Blender

4. Initially only one channel per mixer was used, with the Dixie crossfading between them. After a while the second signal of each mixer was brought in, using the manual Blend controls.

5. The output of the Blender was fed into Maths, where its in-built comparator extracted a stream of pulses from it, which came out of the EOR socket.

6. These were multed out to the Sync inputs of the PDO, Cyclebox and Rubicon – so that the blended signals coming out of the Blender would sync the oscillators fed into it. Obviously, as there is essentially a chord coming out of it, the sync is erratic!

7. The EOR “sync source” from Maths was faded in and out via an attenuator, meaning that the oscillators’ syncing was made even more unreliable at points.

8. During the recording the Cyclebox’ oscillator was switched over to Wavetable mode, and was fed some modulation into its PH2 input (which makes it step through the wavetables). Glitchy madness ensues, especially as these changing waves are attempting to sync themselves (and the other oscs)

9. The Dixie’s frequency was gradually modulated by a slow LFO after a while, adding more chaos to proceedings.

Some mild EQ, limiting and reverb was added during mixdown. Blender certainly opens up a LOT of possibilities – both via the voltage-controlled crossfading, and also the manual blending.

The module can also be used as 3 independent 2 channel mixers if desired. A great little device!

1. I connected a Rubicon Sine into input 1, and a Dixie Saw into input 2.

2. The Dixie was set really high in frequency, as bright high pitched sounds tend to bleed through much more obviously

3. The Blend control was manually swept from side to side – can you hear any bleed? I can’t..

4. I deliberately wiggled the pitch of the high Saw up and down at points, as this can also be a good indicator of bleed (you notice it more than with a static pitch). Still no audible bleed. Pretty impressive!

1. Two Sines were sent into the Blend mixer A, with two Saws fed into mixer B

2. As with the previous demo, the X-Fade was manually adjusted, and the high frequency Saws were wiggled around to try to provoke some audible bleed.

3. Result – no bleed!

Not the most exciting of tests, but useful for anyone thinking about buying one of these, and curious as to how well they isolate sounds between the channels. I know I’ve definitely had crossfaders in the past that DON’T perform so well!